


Don't touch him

by awesome_goddess_of_mischief



Series: Angsty Tony One-Shots [9]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Abusive Avengers, BAMF Phil Coulson, Bullying, Coulson Lives, Dark Bruce, Dark Clint Barton, Dark Natasha Romanov, Dark Steve Rogers, Grieving, Hurt Tony Stark, Insecurity, M/M, Mental Abuse, Mental Breakdown, Overworking, Physical Abuse, Tony Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 04:56:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7029625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awesome_goddess_of_mischief/pseuds/awesome_goddess_of_mischief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Phil's death, the team moves into Stark tower to keep bonding.<br/>Tony is wearing himself thin trying to honour his husband's last wish, for the team to be together.</p><p>But it's slowly starting to become too much. </p><p> </p><p>The team bullies continuely. Until one day the genius breaks.<br/>Luckily there's an unexpected guest ready to put the pieces back together again.</p><p>Now also available in <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/9290195">French</a>!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't touch him

**Author's Note:**

  * For [I_kill_Zombies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_kill_Zombies/gifts).
  * Translation into Français available: [Don't touch him [TRAD]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9290195) by [La_plume_d_Eowin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/La_plume_d_Eowin/pseuds/La_plume_d_Eowin)



> This is based on the plot left by the amazing I_kill_zombies, thank you for that! (I hope it meets your expectations)
> 
> If you have a plot as well, don't hesitate to leave a comment, and I'll take a look!
> 
> Take care of your triggers!  
> This story is another dark one. And even though the pairing is quite different than what I usually write, I quite like this story. 
> 
> Also, there are a few songs I an recommend listening to while reading this.  
> \- Every Night  
> \- Demons  
> \- Hear me  
> \- Bleeding out  
> All of them by Imagine Dragons from their album Night Visions.
> 
> Enjoy!

The doors to the lab slammed shut and Tony swallowed thickly from where he sat behind his desk.

Steve had just walked out, after ranting to an exhausted Tony about deadlines.

The engineer has promised new tech by the end of the week, but Steve wanted it sooner. Combined that with the pressure coming from Stark industries, Shield, and the repairs of New York.

Tony was slowly cracking.

 

Not that he cared about his own health, not since Phil had died.

Stupid god with his stupid scepter.

Stabbing his husband. Probably the only person who could ever deal with the annoyance that was Tony Stark. Gone.

 

It was Phil's last wish for the Avengers to become a real team. And Tony would do whatever he could to make that wish come true. No matter what. He would succeed or he would die trying.

That's why, instead of going to sleep like he had planned, Tony grabbed a fresh mug of coffee and set to working harder on those upgrades Steve wanted.

 

* * *

 

It had all started about a month ago. Fury _suggested_ the Avengers to stay close so they could bond further, and train together for any future missions. Tony knew those types of suggestions and quickly offered the newly renovated Stark tower as sign of good grace.

Besides, he had hoped the team might be able to help him through his grieving.

Oh how wrong he was.

 

Tony had gone to apologise to Steve the first day he moved in. He never meant those things blurted out on the helicarrier.

A small part of him expected an apology in return. Instead, he got an angry scowl. 

"Took you long enough. That type of behaviour is unacceptable in a team, Stark. Do it again and you will be kicked off."

Tony left with a small nod and his figurative tail between his legs.

He didn't want to disappoint Phil, not again.

 

And so Tony started working even harder. He bit his tongue whenever a comment was made and kept his head down as the others yelled at him.

He completely redesigned the engines of the helicarrier, made new suits for all the Avengers, updated their weapons on a weekly basis, and strained to keep them all together.

 

Well actually... the team was pretty close. They had movie nights and team dinners. Just, Tony wasn't invited.

There was the team, and Tony.

He asked Bruce once, why he was never allowed to join.

The scientist had rolled his eyes and sighed annoyed. "You're not an Avenger, Stark. Iron Man is. If you'd just give your suit to someone who's actually worth it... then he or she would be welcome to join us."

Tony hadn't brought it up again.

 

* * *

 

Natasha had taken up teaching him how to spar. Tony immediately agreed, taking any chance to be around his teammates.

Even as she simply kicked his ass for an hour straight, teaching him nothing but new ways to get hurt, it was better than being ignored. Better than feeling nothing. Better be knocked unconscious and catching an hour rest in the gym, than having to crawl into an empty cold bed.

 

* * *

 

The ring around his finger ached on good days and made him want to puke on the bad ones.

Two months in and Tony still dialed Phil's number automatically sometimes, only realising mid ring what he was doing.

He couldn't sleep, only dreaming of Phil's lifeless body on the floor.

So he would drink himself crazy until he was floating on the edge off unconsciousness. He would imagine Phil's face, worried and disappointed with the engineer's behaviour, but it was better than nothing. Better than feeling alone.

 

* * *

 

Phil just felt his braincells die as he spent another afternoon staring at the dull ceiling of SHIELD medical.

Two months.

 

Two months without anyone visiting.

 

Fury relayed their messages whenever he would visit. Telling him the team was too busy with cleanup to visit. Or too busy fighting some new villain to drop by.

At first, Phil actually believed him. But as he slowly got used to walking again, and managed to breath without a machine after weeks of healing, he knew the director was lying.

Because yes, maybe the team was busy, but Coulson knew Tony. Knew his husband. There was no way in hell the genius wouldn't drop by the first chance he got to make sure Phil was alright.

Tony would turn the world inside out to visit if he had to.

And yet, no sign of him.

 

So while Phil layed in his bed, planning his escape from medical, he thought about Tony. And he hoped, could only hope, that his husband was alright.

At least he had the team to lean on.

That thought kept Phil calm as he slipped his lunch knife under the blankets.

Tony wasn't alone.

 

* * *

 

A rough cough made Tony's entire chest ache.

The arc reactor had reduced his lung capacity, combine that with the fact that he literally had a hole in his chest, and you got a perfect mix for catching infections and the flu.

The exhaustion and injuries certainly didn't help.

 

There was a sprained wrist, his right one, so he couldn't have it taped. That would interfere with his work, so instead he just kept using it.

Some cracked ribs, those were taped, though they got worse every time he sparred with Nat or Steve. Especially Natasha seemed to have noticed the weak spot and often aimed at least a few punches straight against the sore bone.

Random cuts and bruises littered his body, a few especially deep ones on his arms and stomach. The ones on his stomach were from a fight where he had gotten hit and the metal had caved in.

Steve had yelled at him for not moving fast enough.

The cuts on his arms were also his own fault. He messed up during constructing Clint's latest arrows and accidentally blew up one.

 

The genius felt like shit. He hadn't eaten in a few days, hadn't had the time. And the last thing he did eat was an energy bar. One that apparently belonged to Steve. He hadn't known. But he deserved the push got for it.

Sleep didn't come freely anymore. He passed out sometimes due to pain or alcohol, and would catch some rest. Mostly he would be woken by someone demanding he continues working.

Tony was just so damn tired. And hurt.

 

He could barely breath between the painful coughs and shivers ran through his body continuely. Jarvis kept reminding him of his dangerously decreasing weight, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Why did he even try anymore?

 

The team hated him. They thought he was a murderer and an arrogant ass. Which he was.

They didn't think he was worth anything aside from his tech and money. Which was true.

Tony knew they just wanted his suits. If he would die, they would just take it from his dead body.

No one cared anymore. The only person who somehow did, died.

 

The engineer sat on the floor in his workshop, leaning against a table while sipping slowly from a bottle of scotch. Thinking about how _angry_ Phil would be at him if he were still alive, if he would see Tony like this, failing. Steve was Phil's hero, and so if Steve hated Tony, so would Phil.

He took another sip and sighed. Life sucked. He didn't have anything left to lead him through the long long days...

Just as he felt his eyes slowly falling closed, did he alarm go off.

Avengers assemble.

 

* * *

 

Phil was pissed. So damn angry.

The agent had easily slipped out of medical, he only had to knockout one guard. After all, security was there to keep people out, not in.

And Phil was the best.

 

Coulson stole a car and turned on the radio on his way to the city. Apparently there was an attack of some strange animals going on near the tower as he drove.

The news rapporteur mentioned Iron Man and Phil was overcome with a mixture of relief and pain. Tony was alright, so why didn't he visit?

That could be answered later though, right now Phil had to get to the tower since the radio host just claimed Iron Man to have fallen from the sky. Injured.

 

* * *

 

By the time Phil arrived, the fight was over. The creatures were defeated. The heroes were back home.

Coulson was let into the tower by a cold, worried, confused, and slightly panicked AI.

"Agent Coulson? How... why?"

It wasn't often something left Jarvis without words, it was very strange and Phil hoped he never had to hear it again.

  
"Yes it's me Jarvis. Can you give me an update on the Avengers?" On Tony, he mentally thought.

"Agent, I will gladly provide a full report, however, Sir needs your assistance first. There is a medical team on route, but he needs urgent care."

Phil paled and tensed as the elevator moved just a little quicker towards the labs. The agent ran out as soon as the doors opened and froze for a second when he entered Tony's private lab.

 

The genius was laying on the floor, armour still on partly, weakly trying to pull off the last few pieces with bloody hands.

And oh god there was a lot of blood.

 

Coulson immediately kneeled by Tony's side and kept pressure on the major wound on his stomach. "Tony? Babe, stay with me." He whispered softly as he looked into those stunning brown eyes for the first time in months.

Tony blinked a few times, not even flinching when Phil pressed on the open wound. "So this is it?" He slurred slightly, eyes focused purely on Phil. "I... I didn't think... you would come for me..."

Phil frowned in confusion. "Of course. I came as soon as I could."

"Don't understand. You- You should be in heaven. I'm... I'm not..." Tony sighed and closed his eyes briefly, opening them again quickly to look at Phil once more. "Doesn't matter. 'S good to see you... one last time..."

"Tony? Don't be crazy. You're not dying. I've got you. You'll be okay." Phil could hear people coming in in the background while he whispered his reassurances.

"Love you Phil. Even- Even if I was never worth it."

Tony's eyes fell closed and Phil was pushed aside by a skilled medical team who immediately started working on Tony.

The agent refused to leave Tony's side even though a thought lingered at the back of his mind.

 

Where was the team?

 

* * *

 

Back in a hospital. Phil sighed. He had just gotten out of one. And now he was back, on the bedside of his husband.

Tony's list of injuries was insane. So were the signs of dehydration, malnutrition, sleep deprivation, and alcohol poisoning.

It was a miracle the man was even alive, nevermind fighting in a heavy metal suit.

 

Despite what Phil had thought, the team has actually been present in the tower. Jarvis had immediately informed them of Tony's injuries, asked them to help. They had just ignored the AI. Phil still felt nauseous when he thought of the security feed of Captain America saying Tony had to take care of himself. That he wasn't worth their time.

There goes his adoration for his childhood hero.

 

Phil couldn't stop staring at Tony's face, at how pale and thin it looked, and how sad.

It was heartbreaking really. He finally saw his husband again, and he was unconscious in a hospital bed.

What the hell had happened while he was gone?

 

* * *

 

Tony woke with a massive headache. He had no idea where he was, but it certainly wasn't the workshop.

Had he died then? Had his body given up at last?

Phil... Phil had been there. But he was clearly awake now.

 

The engineer looked around and easily noticed the smell of hospital. Had... Had the team called for help after all?

Just as Tony turned his head, he felt a warm weight on his hand. Brown eyes snapped to his right hand and followed the arm attached to the weight.

Phil.

"Oh fuck..." Tony whispered softly causing the other man to wake up with a shock.

"Tony, you're awake." Coulson couldn't help but smile while gently squeezing Tony's hand.

The genius kept his eyes firmly on Phil. "They really got me on the good drugs huh?" He whispered sadly. "Or I'm finally going insane. Knew it would happen eventually. It's worth it though. To see you again."

Phil frowned in confusion and placed a soft kiss on Tony's hand. "I don't know what you're talking about sweetheart. I'm right here."

Stark just huffed and smiled that sad smile again. "It's alright Agent. I know you're gone. Maybe I'm as well. Doesn't matter anymore. Your... your fu- funeral was n-nice." Silent tears ran down Tony's cheeks as he kept looking at Phil with wonder even though he appeared on the brink of passing out again. "There were flowers. Pep arranged it. So it was nice. S- Steve said... well... doesn't matter. I tried to make you proud. I did. I tried so hard." More tears fall and finally the engineer closes his eyes again, squeezing a stunned Phil his hand tighter. "I failed Phil. I'm so sorry."

As Tony drifted off, Phil slowly realised what had happened.

With a soft kiss to his husband's forhead, the skilled agent left the room. He had a director to kill.

 

* * *

 

Phil didn't, in fact, kill Fury after all.

He did however, promise many painful ways to do so if something like this would ever happen again.

He also quit, making sure he got a very generous bonus for his years of service.

Apparently it had all been for the 'greater good'. For the team to bond. Fucking bullshit is what it was.

Speaking about the team, they were Phil's next stop. Jarvis had shown him enough surveillance video to make his blood boil. Filthy bullies, that's all they were. Scum.

Natasha had been literally beating Tony up and calling it sparring. Steve had done the same, though combined with emotionally breaking down the engineer. Using his grief and pain against him. Bruce just treated Tony like some sort of personal assistent, always demanding more time and effort of the exhausted genius. Clint was simply an ass. He was rude and thoughtless. Didn't consider Tony's feelings and simply spoke over him.

Phil was not only angry, he was so disappointed. And not in Tony. Oh no. Tony had bent over backwards trying to please the team. And all he had gotten in return was pain.

Coulson was going to kick them out of the tower. Maybe the window. That would certainly be more satisfying.

 

Jarvis had eagerly helped out, keeping Phil's arrival silent and already arranging everyone's stuff to be moved out.

The Avengers were found sitting on the couches in the common area. They looked up in shock when they saw Phil and jumped up.

"Jarvis, scan this man."

Jarvis actually a sighed through the speakers before speaking up. "This is indeed agent Coulson."

Phil grinned darkly. "Actually, it's just mister Coulson now, J."

The former agent turned his steel blue eyes to the Avengers, his grin turning slightly psycho. "You all... there are no words for how much I hate you right now."

That certainly shocked them. Clint even had the balls to look hurt.

"Phil-"

"Don't you dare talk to me. I trusted you." He tells the two spies. So many times they had each other's backs. And as soon as they presume him dead they go and abuse his husband.

"He thought you were his friend." He aims towards a confuses looking Bruce.

Finally, he turns his gaze to Steve. "And you, you were my hero. But you're nothing like that. You're not even worth your title, nor that shield."

 

Phil raises his hand to silence the team and keeps talking. "For months you have been physically and mentally abusing my husband. So badly that I doubt he'll ever fully recover. Right now, he's in the hospital where he'll have to stay for the next few weeks. And that's all on you. Your stuff is being packed. You're no longer welcome here and I honestly don't give a fuck about where you're going as long as it isn't anywhere near me or Tony. Got that?"

Steve took a step forward and frowned. "Agent Coulson, this is madness. If Stark has a problem with us he can come tell us himself instead of hiding like the _coward_ he is. It's good to see you alive, I didn't know you were married to Stark, though I must admit I don't know why you'd want to marry such a selfish playboy, but anyway, you can tell Iron Man he's off the team until he comes to apologise to us."

The next thing Steve noticed was cold steel pressed against his neck, Phil had pulled his gun. "No. There's no team anymore Rogers. There never was. And considering all your weaponry is made by Tony, you're all useless. There's a new team in the making with actual decent people. If Tony wants to join that, he'll be welcome to. However, I have the gut feeling he doesn't want anything to do with teams ever again."

As Steve opened his mouth to argue, Phil clicked the safety off his gun, raising an eyebrow and silently daring Steve to speak up.

 

That's when the elevator doors opened again to show Fury with a handful of agents. He nodded towards Phil and glared at the others.

"Director, can you talk some sense into Phil? He's-" Clint began but was cut off by another glare.

"He's _right_." Nick snapped. "I will take full responsibility for any pain caused by keeping Phil's survival a secret. _However_ ," and with that his glare turned even darker. "I had no knowledge of my team abusing one of its members until an hour ago. Are you all insane? Pushing decent morals aside, what you all did was also plain _stupid_. Stark pays for everything. You guys have a roof above your heads and a gun in your hand thanks to him."

Natasha rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Fury, relax, it's not like he's going to take it away from us. He's too weak for that."

That was obviously the wrong thing to say since Fury only looked angrier. "You're partly right. He won't take it away from you no, because he's a good man." Nick briefly glanced at Phil before turning back to the Avengers. "That's why I will. You are all clearly not in the right state to handle such advanced weaponry. You can't be trusted with it and will all be charged with assault and abuse. Until your trial can take place, you will be kept in a safe place."

 

Phil could have suppressed the smug smile. However, he didn't want to. He grinned and nodded his thanks to Nick.

Their protests were ignored as the Avengers were simply shot with a sedative thanks to Jarvis, and dragged off to some high secure prison.

Fury promised Phil their trial would take a long time and their imprisonment even longer.

 

And Phil could breath again.

 

* * *

 

It was only two weeks later that found Tony and Phil back at the tower. The former leaning heavily on the latter. Of course the genius had checked himself out against doctor's advice, claiming he had too much work to do and no time to laze around.

Phil just sighed and promised the doctor to look after the stubborn engineer.

It had taken a lot of people talking to Tony and promising Phil was really there for him to even begin believing it. Still, Tony barely let his husband out of his sight, terrified he would disappear.

Coulson still felt the urge to hit someone for that.

 

Tony had gotten into a panic attack when he heard about the team being moved out, think he hadn't worked hard enough. That they were leaving. That Phil would be disappointed in him.

Phil had calmly explained everything. Told him everything that happened and made sure the genius knew about his opinion on those vile creatures.

Right now, Tony just wanted to crawl into his own bed with his husband for the first time in months.

 

* * *

 

About half a year later, things finally started to calm down.

 

Phil was the liaison to the new generation of Avengers. Good people with strong powers. And most of all, just kind human beings.

Tony joined very rarely. Mostly in the case of direct world domination threats. The R&D team he had formed himself room care of the team's tech, only asking for Tony's advice so now and then.

Shield only played the part of information supply or helped with evacuating areas.

 

Over all, Tony's workload had been turned back to just the few designs for SI. He could work on the projects he choose himself and had plenty of time to spent with his friends and husband.

 

Stark got along particularly well with Sam, a guy with mechanical wings, and Scott, a dude who could _shrink_. Tony had friends now. Actual friends.

 

Almost every morning he woke up in Phil's arms, smiling softly and feeling relief as he once more realised his husband was alive.

It got him through the day. Gave him the willpower to eat and drink regularly, to start taking care of himself again.

 

He wasn't just surviving, he was living again.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked it!  
> Don't hesitate to leave a plot or idea! :*


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